|
Home
> Courage Awards > Profiles
> Olga Orraca-Parades
 Unflappable
and Unstoppable: Three Decades of Activism
Meet
Colin Higgins Courage Award Winner Olga Orraca-Parades
While
they did encounter some harassment and a few of their friends were
afraid they'd been outed by association, there was an overwhelming
show of support.
"I
can't tell you how many people told me how that article gave them
the strength to come out to their friends and families. Many sat
down to talk to their relatives holding the paper in their arms,"
said Olga.
Taking
a courageous step to bring about equality for others was nothing
new to Olga, who has dedicated her life to promoting social change
in Puerto Rico and beyond. At the age of 14, she became active in
her hometown of Bayamon, just outside of San Juan, by volunteering
for organizations fighting for human rights and equality of economic
resources. She soon found herself fighting for Puerto Rican independence.
In
the 70's, she began her involvement in the feminist movement, a
cause she still supports with vigor. But as an out lesbian, she
often felt invisible in the movement and needed to devote her energies
to a cause closer to her own identity. By the late 80's, she was
a stronghold in the gay rights movement.
A natural
leader, she was asked to serve on the Board of Directors of the
Puerto Rican Coalition of Lesbians and Homosexuals, Puerto Rico's
largest coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights
organizations. Under her service, the coalition started a help referral
phone line for those seeking support for issues ranging from harassment
to health care. Also during her tenure, the coalition began publishing
Sal Ba Fuea, a magazine, which addressed issues of importance to
the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
In
1992, Olga helped to organize Encuentro, a gathering that brought
together lesbian feminists from throughout Latin American.
Today,
she serves on the Rainbow Pride Coalition, organizers of the annual
pride march, which has grown from 200 marchers in 1989 to over 4,000
in recent years. She is also an active member of LLEGO, the National
Latina, Latino Lesbian and Gay Organization.
For
Olga, the greatest struggle for lesbians and gays in Puerto Rico
is the repeal of Article 103, a sodomy law that was amended in 1974
to specifically include consensual acts between women.
"While
this law is seldom used, having Article 103 on the books encourages
hate and institutionalizes violence by the government," explains
Olga, who is very active in the Coalition Against Article 103. "As
long as 103 is the law, people will feel it's OK to harass and abuse
lesbians and gays."
Olga
is most proud of her work as co-founder and coordinator of the Lesbian
Creative Workshop. Founded in 1994, the group uses a variety of
creative tools to address difficult topics for lesbians including
domestic violence, substance abuse and health issues.
To
address domestic violence, the group uses Forum Theater, a model
developed by pioneering Brazilian dramatist Augusto Boal to address
oppressive conduct. From 10 to 20 woman gather in a home or other
safe space and watch as two women act out a fight that almost comes
to blows. The drama is stopped and members of the audience are asked
to step in and take over one of the roles and defuse the situation.
The workshop has been so effective that the group is regularly asked
by the community to put on the workshop.
If
at one point Olga found it important to narrow the focus of her
activism, today she's casting a wider net and taking the gay rights
message to other human rights struggles.
She
and her partner recently joined a group of approximately 40 women
to protest the US military base on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques.
"It was an amazing bonding experience," said Olga. "These
women were incredibly accepting of my partner and me, and very appreciative
of our support."
At
45, Olga is happy to finally be able to reconcile all of her activist
identities. Far from feeling burnt out, after more that 20 years
of fighting injustice, Olga views her life of activism as a privilege,
grateful that her family has always been supportive of her lifestyle
and proud of the changes she's been able to help bring about in
Puerto Rico and beyond.
If
you would like to view this story in PDF, click here.
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader - to download a free version
of the Reader, click here.
|
